A recent analysis of Venus' surface found evidence of tectonic motion in the form of crustal blocks that have jostled against each other, indicating that Venus is still geologically active. This discovery provides insight into exoplanet tectonics and the earliest tectonic activity on Earth.
Researchers found that even in hydrated subducting slabs, dry olivine can exist, resolving a long-standing paradox. This discovery suggests hydrous minerals play crucial roles in the Earth's interior water cycle and contribute to deep-focus earthquakes and large plate deformations.
Researchers used synchrotron X-ray techniques to study how gypsum dehydrates under pressure, revealing a small nudge that can have big consequences for geological processes. The findings suggest that increased tectonic stress can speed up dehydration and promote earthquakes.
Researchers used computer models to recreate the impact that carved out Mead crater, finding that Venus's lithosphere must have been quite thick for the crater's ring structures to be where they are. This suggests that plate tectonics was not happening on Venus at the time of the impact.
A team of seismologists has discovered a new mechanism driving the separation of the Atlantic plates, with evidence of an upwelling in the mantle from depths of over 600 km. This finding provides greater understanding of plate tectonics and its role in natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
Compressive stresses in the lithosphere induce grain mixing and damage, generating vertical weak bands that facilitate subduction initiation. These weak zones are susceptible to bending associated with subduction and may provide insight into plate tectonics on Earth.
Researchers at KAUST have updated the model for earthquake-prone regions like California, finding that the strength lies in the upper crust and the lower crust exhibits more ductility over time. This 'crème brûlée' model supports regional hazard assessments for populated territories.
Al-phase D mineral discovered to transport and host water up to 1200 km in lower mantle, improving stability against pressure and temperature. Researchers measured sound velocities and density of Al-phase D using synchrotron X-ray techniques, providing clear understanding of seismic velocities of hydrous rocks.
A new study has created the first high-resolution seismic images of a rocky tectonic plate within Earth's mantle transition zone. The research provides evidence that the slab hasn't completely mixed with the surrounding mantle, shedding light on the processes that shaped Earth's surface over billions of years.
A team of researchers has discovered more about the grain-scale fluid connectivity beneath the earth's surface, shedding new light on fluid circulation and seismic velocity anomalies in subduction zones. The study found that fluids with minor components, such as CO2 and NaCl, can have a significant impact on the dihedral angle between ...
Researchers observed two distinct seismic discontinuities in the mantle transition zone, representing the upper and lower boundaries of a subducted Pacific high-velocity slab. The study suggests a compositionally layered slab with high-water contents beneath the slab, challenging existing knowledge on slab interfaces.
Scientists have discovered that a tiny amount of molten rock, less than 0.7% by volume, is present in the asthenosphere under all oceanic plates, reducing the viscosity and 'decoupling' them from the underlying mantle. This research improves our understanding of plate tectonics and how it drives plate movement.
Researchers at the University of Houston have located the long-debated Resurrection tectonic plate in northern Canada, shedding light on its existence and significance. The findings could aid in predicting volcanic hazards and mineral deposits.
Researchers found evidence that thinning of the lithosphere is generating heat needed to initiate process of stabilizing continental crust. This challenges previous understanding of mountain building and suggests a new mechanism for continent stability.
Researchers have discovered natural nanodiamonds in oceanic rocks, confirming the formation of diamonds under low-pressure conditions. The discovery was made in Cuba's Moa-Baracoa Ophiolitic Massif and provides new insights into the geological processes that form these valuable gemstones.
A new theory proposes that early Earth's lithosphere heated up and expanded, causing cracks that eventually divided the planet into plates. The model, developed by Dr. Alexander Webb and his team, suggests that volcanic heat loss led to thermal contraction, which in turn caused the outer shell to warm up and expand.
Scientists have discovered previously unrecognized structural lines 100 miles down in the earth, signaling locations of giant copper, lead, zinc deposits. The discovery could narrow search areas and reduce future mine footprints.
Researchers from GFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam found that the rotation of the Victoria microplate is controlled by the configuration of weaker and stronger lithospheric regions. They used 3D numerical models to compute the dynamics of the last 10 million years, showing a best fit with GPS-derived data.
An international team of researchers has discovered that ancient carbon stored beneath thick continental crust is released as CO2 during break-up. The study, published in Nature, sheds light on the source of high CO2 fluxes in rift zones.
Researchers from Cardiff University have identified specific conditions along the ocean floor where tectonic plates creep past each other instead of generating catastrophic earthquakes. This discovery could help scientists better understand stress at fault lines and improve earthquake forecasting.
A new study using satellite data from the European Space Agency has provided unprecedented insights into the deep structure of Antarctica. The researchers used special gradient data to analyze the lithosphere, which consists of the crust and the earth's upper mantle below the frozen continent.
Researchers analyzed helium isotopes in super-deep diamonds to find evidence of pristine reservoirs of primordial rock material beneath the upper mantle. The study suggests that these reservoirs occasionally infiltrate the transition zone and mix with subducting material, creating diverse isotopic compositions.
This study reveals complex deformation and metamorphism processes, melt/fluid interactions with crust-mantle rocks, and material circulation in subduction zones. Crust-mantle physical interactions control geometry, tectonic associations, and chemical interaction in orogen and mantle wedge.
A new study published in Lithosphere found that Permian volcanism contributed to increased atmospheric greenhouse gas content in Antarctica. The researchers analyzed age and isotopic data from zircon minerals, expanding the known distribution of Choiyoi-related deposits and highlighting the importance of subduction-related volcanism.
Researchers have successfully measured the Earth's magnetic field in the sodium layer of the mesosphere using laser-generated artificial stars. This technique allows for ground-based observations of the mesosphere, previously difficult to access, and holds promise for monitoring space weather and measuring electrical currents.
Scientists have used satellite gravity data from the GOCE mission to image the structure of the Earth's lithosphere, revealing large-scale tectonic features and complex patterns in ancient cratons. These findings improve our understanding of Antarctica's deep structure and its connection to the rest of the planet.
A new study found that the Siberian Flood Basalts, a massive volcanic eruption around 250 million years ago, sent nearly 90% of life into extinction. The team discovered that chlorine, bromine, and iodine in the lithosphere were released into the atmosphere, destroying the ozone layer.
The Jiachala Formation, a key deposit in the Neo-Tethyan subduction zone, was formed in a submarine fan environment during Late Cretaceous (~88-84 Ma) at the active southern margin of the Asian plate. Provenance analysis indicates it originated from the Gangdese arc and central Lhasa terrane.
The study identifies at least three tears in the Indian mantle lithosphere underthrusting the Himalayas. This model explains patterns of crustal deformation and east-west extension in southern Tibet, providing insights into the region's seismic activity.
Researchers discovered a vast store of subducted carbon beneath eastern China, contributing to the formation and thinning of the North China craton. The study suggests that recycled carbonates played a crucial role in the lithospheric thinning process, leading to the creation of a 'big mantle wedge' structure.
Researchers at UMass Amherst used advanced seismic imaging and data from the National Science Foundation's EarthScope program to construct a detailed model of the tectonic plate beneath the Adirondack Mountains. They discovered a 'pillow' of low-density, relatively light rock material that appears to have been squeezed up under the mou...
Researchers have discovered a nearly 15.5-mile-long fault zone with two parallel master faults and hundreds of smaller cross faults at the southern tip of the San Andreas Fault. The 'Durmid Ladder' structure may be the site of the region's next major earthquake, posing an increased surface-rupture hazard.
Researchers discover highly faulted and organized 'Durmid ladder structure' in southern California, which could be nucleation site for next M>7.5 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault. The structure is at least 25 km long and features tens of master faults along its edges.
New research by Rice University geophysicists reveals that the asthenosphere's convective cycling and pressure-driven flow can move faster than the tectonic plates on top of it. This challenges a long-held theory that the lithosphere moves independently of the asthenosphere.
Researchers suggest that the onset of plate tectonics initiated the dramatic cool-down of the Earth's surface, resulting in 'Snowball Earth' climate changes. This theory proposes to explain 22 previously proposed mechanisms for Neoproterozoic global cooling.
The subduction of the Pacific plate resulted in the thinning and replacement of the lithospheric mantle in the North China Craton. The Yanshan Movement, a decratonization process, was characterized by lithospheric thinning and crustal detachment triggered by asthenospheric upwelling.
Researchers are using a $349,520 grant to analyze fragments of the Tissint meteorite from a Martian volcano, shedding light on the red planet's geological history and potential signs of life.
Researchers have created an electrochemical generator that converts bituminous coal into electrical energy, producing only water and heat as byproducts. The technology has been proven effective in joint generation of electrical and heat energy, with the added benefit of a simpler configuration compared to existing coal power plants.
New study reveals that frequency and magnitude of large Himalayan earthquakes depend on tectonic plate collision rate, which controls temperature and earthquake generation areas. The team found a link between plate collisions in the Alps and Himalaya, with slower collisions increasing earthquake hazard.
Researchers at University of Toronto and Istanbul Technical University propose an 'active drip' model for the formation of the Central Anatolian Plateau, where the lower tectonic plate has dripped below Earth's surface. This process is linked to the planet's crust and upper mantle thickening and sinking into the lower mantle.
Research finds that the southern half of the Tibetan Plateau formed in less than one-quarter of the time since India-Eurasia continental collision, with most of the uplift occurring when a denser lithospheric root broke away. The study's findings support a different scenario to the traditional theory on Tibet's formation.
Scientists drilled three 2-km-deep holes to explore the geology of a scientific borehole in the Snake River Plain. They found evidence of heat and older hydrothermal interactions, but no geothermal energy production due to a cool water aquifer.
Scientists discovered a seismic belt in the downgoing slab of the Pacific Plate, triggered by the sudden release of water due to temperature changes. The findings suggest that earthquakes occur when the mantle releases its water, which is correlated with the subduction rate and slab temperature.
Researchers studied data from Lake Malawi to confirm that rifting has occurred slowly over the past 1.3 million years, utilizing a series of faults millions of years older. The team's findings provide a unified geologic framework for exploring the East African Rift system and shed light on other continental rift systems.
Researchers found three areas of hot rock within the mantle beneath three separate volcanic provinces, indicating that Madagascar's volcanoes are not related to nearby tectonic activity. The study suggests that the island's unique geology, with a delaminated lithosphere and a mantle plume, led to the formation of these hot regions.
A newly discovered valley on Mercury is about 250 miles wide and 600 miles long, with steep sides that dip as much as 2 miles below the surrounding terrain. The valley likely formed due to rapid cooling of Mercury's interior, which would challenge previous assumptions about the planet's geologic past.
Researchers developed a method to measure lithosphere strength using magnetotelluric imaging, revealing accurate descriptions of surface structures and correlating with volcanic and seismic activity. This technique may aid understanding of earthquake and volcanic processes.
The August issue of Lithosphere presents papers on Tyrrhenian margin neotectonics in Italy, the Wrangellia composite terrane in Canada, and fault-related fissures in Wales. These studies provide new insights into Quaternary travertine deposits, thermochronology data, and paleofluid circulation in faults.
A new study has found that smaller-scale processes in the Earth's mantle have a more significant impact on plate tectonics than previously thought. The research used high-resolution imaging to map the flow of the mantle beneath the ocean's tectonic plates, revealing that convection channels play a crucial role in driving plate movement.
Researchers from AWI deploy ocean bottom seismometers to record earthquakes on Southwest Indian Ridge, revealing unique insights into ocean floor formation. Water circulation up to 15km deep leads to aseismic areas with soft soap-like rock that moves without jerking.
Scientists analyze sedimentary archives in Alberta Foreland Basin, revealing cyclic changes in sediment source areas consistent with magmatic flare-ups. In another study, researchers uncover pre-Cenozoic geologic history of the central and northern Tibetan Plateau, tying Wilson cycles to constructing the Tethyan orogenic system.
A study by GFZ researchers reveals that Earth's internal heat is responsible for the rapid flow of Greenland's ice, driven by a geothermal anomaly that originated from the Icelandic mantle plume. The anomaly creates a region with abundant subglacial meltwater, lubricating the base of the ice and making it flow rapidly.
Research reveals peridotite serpentinization produces more hydrogen gas and methane than olivine alteration. Pyroxene and spinel promote the formation of these nutrients, which are crucial for life's emergence. The study suggests that kinetics and reaction progress influence hydrocarbon production.
New mapping and dating reveal timing of past earthquakes and tectonic deformation distribution across the western U.S. Death Valley's faulted alluvial fans help determine seismic hazard mitigation and understand great landscapes' evolution over recent geologic time.
A team of international researchers suggests that a large and hot mantle plume was necessary to break the early Earth's lithosphere, leading to the first subduction and Plate Tectonics. The conditions required for this process included a thick and heavy lithosphere, liquid water in the oceans, and a large enough plume to produce signif...
Researchers propose that mantle plumes played a crucial role in initiating plate tectonics on Earth. Computer simulations suggest that plume-induced weaknesses in the lithosphere could have led to the formation of subduction zones and the emergence of modern plate boundaries. The study provides a possible explanation for the early hist...
The Chinese continental shelf's basement is of exotic origin, unrelated to eastern China's continental lithosphere. Subduction cessation at ~100 Ma jammed the trench, altering Pacific plate motion and forming a transform boundary.
Researchers have identified a 2,000-kilometer-long chain of volcanoes running from the Whitsundays to near Melbourne. The volcanic chain was created over the past 33 million years as Australia moved northwards over a hotspot in the Earth's mantle.
Researchers used data from the Earth's gravity field, topography, seismology, and crustal structure to create a 3D model of the North American craton. The study found that the lower part of the craton's root has shifted by approximately 850 kilometers towards the west-southwest due to mantle flow.
Researchers found that ancient Maya activity contributed to environmental decline and continues to influence today's conditions. They identified six stratigraphic markers indicating large-scale change in climate, vegetation, hydrology, and lithosphere.